While the 1960s were prosperous years for a majority of Americans, about 20 percent of the people in the United States lived below the poverty line. Some of the poor were white people who lived in rural areas. A large majority, however, were African Americans who had been left out of the American dream through neglect and racism.

In the early sixties, black Americans faced prejudice and discrimination in almost every aspect of life, from jobs and housing to education. In the South, where 60 percent of all African Americans lived, blacks were deprived of equal voting rights until 1964. They were even denied the right to sit at the same lunch counter or use the same public rest room as white people.

Discrimination in Jobs and Housing

In spite of their poor treatment at home, millions of African American men bravely served...